Method of and apparatus for treating shoe uppers



I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. J. BETTER Filed Feb. 16, 1939 April 1, 1941,

METHOD-OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING snow urrsns April 1, 1941. F, J. BETTER 2,236,592

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHOE UPPERS I Filed Feb. 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

. Jaca T 7 Patented Apr. 1, 1941 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHOE UPPERS Francis J. Better, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J a corporation of New J ersey Application February 16, 1939, Serial No. 256,765

Claims.

This invention relates to the treatment of uppers and particularly to machines for and methods of preshaping uppers prior to their being assembled upon a last.

A machine of this type is disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,062,307, granted December 1, 1936, upon application of C. W. Greene, and the present invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of this type which is adapted to practice the method disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,015,090, granted September 24, 1935, upon application of H. L. Sawyer.

By this method the forepart of a closed shoe upper, prior to its being assembled on a last, is subjected to heat and pressure to cause thermoplastic cement upon the lining to be activated and cause the upper and lining to stick together, the upper at the same time being given a transverse curvature similar to that which it will assume when worked over a last. In the practice of this method it has been found that the lining occasionally becomes wrinkled and the Wrinkles rendered more or less permanent by the shaping and pressing operation.

Objects of this invention are to prevent the formation of wrinkles and to insure that the portions of the upper and lining to which the pressure and heat are applied will lie flat against each other before the full pressure is applied to them.

In its method aspects the invention consists in holding an upper extended under light tension lengthwise as the forepart is introduced into the pressing device and, after some pressure has been applied to the forepart and before the final pressure is applied, subjecting the upperto a strong stretching impulse to cause any wrinkles which may have formed or tended to form in the parts of the upper being pressed to be removed.

The illustrated apparatus for thus holding and stretching the upper consists of a member to engage the inside of the rear end of an upper and shaped to correspond more or less to the shape of the rear end of a shoe or last, over which member the rear end of the upper is first placed, the member having on its lower portion projections to engage the edge of the upper and locate it heightwise with respect to the member. The member is arranged on an upwardly and rearwardly inclined slide which is held forward yieldingly by a light spring. The

member is normally located in position to receive a large upper and, when smaller uppers are treated, the member has to be moved farther rearwardly to introduce the upper into the pressing device, and consequently the member is moved upwardly by the inclined slide to compensate for the less vertical height of the small upper.

The illustrated machine is so arranged. that during a previous operation of the pressing device a strong spring is placed under tension and, after the forepart of an upper is presented to the pressing-device as above indicated and operation of the pressing device is initiated, the spring is released to impart a rearward and upward movement to the member in the rear part of theupper to stretch the upper while pressure is being applied. The spring is normally unconnected to the member in the rear end of the upper and the arrangement is such that when the spring is released connection is immediately made between it and the member to cause the member to be moved forwardly of the machine under the impulse of the spring. Thus, the same stretching impulse is imparted to each upper irrespective of its size.

These and other features of the invention comprising certain combinations and arrangements of parts will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an upper preforming machine equipped with the present invention and showing in dotted lines an upper being introduced into the pressing device prior to its operation;

Fig. 2 shows the pressing device operating upon a shoe upper after it has been subjected to lengthwise tension;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of parts shown in Fig. 1; and s Fig. 4 is a detail of parts shown in Fig. 1.

The illustrated machine for preshaping or preforming shoe uppers by heat and pressure and subjecting the upper to longitudinal tension during the application of pressure to remove wrinkles therefrom comprises a base or column In on which is mounted a U-shaped electrically heated inner form l2 with which a presser member l4 cooperates to wrap the upper about the form l2 and apply pressure thereto. The presser member I4 is carried on the front end of a lever I6 fulcrumed at l8 and having connected between its ends an operating rod 20. The operating rod 20 passes through a member 22 which is pivoted at 24 to the lever l6,,its

upper portion being surrounded by a stiif spring 26 through which pressure is applied to the presser member I4 when the rod 20 is drawn downwardly. The above-mentioned parts are preferably all constructed as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent to Greene, it being understood that the presser member I4 is organized as in the said patent to first apply pressure to v the upper at the top of the form I2 and, as the pressing operation proceeds, to apply pressure to the two sides of the form.

The novel mechanism with which the machine is equipped for taking the slack out of the upper, for presenting the rear portion of the upper at the proper height with respect tov the presser members irrespective of its size, and for exerting a predetermined tension on the upper during the pressing operation will now be described. A11

upper-engaging member 30, which is curved heightwise to correspond more or less with the curve in the back seam of an upper, has a stem 32 fitting in a vertical groove in a supporting member 34 and acljustably secured thereto by a screw 36 passing through a slot in the stem 32 and threaded into the supporting member 34. The supporting member 34 has a downward extension 33 fitting a vertical groove in a sliding member 43 and held adjustably thereto by a screw 42 passing through a slot inthe extension 33 and threaded into the sliding member 40.

The support 34 has a. rearward extension 44 and two side extensions 46, 48 (Fig, 3), these extensions serving to support the lower edge of an upper A at its rear end and at the two sides near the rear end when the upper is placed over the upper-engaging member 36. The sliding member 46 extends first rearwardly and upwardly and then horizontally (Fig. 1) and has at its rear end a downward projection 50 which, at each side, is provided with a roll 52, each roll engaging a horizontal slot formed in a block 54 located in .the hollow of the inner form I2 and secured to the frame. In the front end of the block 54 is a stop screw 56 to limit forward movement of the sliding member 40 and another stop screw 58 is provided at the rear end of the block to limit its rearward movement. The member 40 is urged forward to engage the stop screw 56 by a light tension spring 60 connected to the member 40 at one end and to a pin 62 at the other end.

The forward end of the sliding member 40 is embraced by a rocking member 64 (Fig. 3) which is slotted at the top to receive the member 40 and at one side of the member-40 is further'slotted to receive a slide 66 and at the other side of the member 40 is further slotted to receive a slide 68, the slides being arranged for movement in the rocking member 64 -in a rearwardly and upwardly inclined direction with respect to the machine. A pivot pin passes through the slide 66, the member 40 and the slide. 68 so that the sliding member 40 may be moved freely irrespective of the movement of the rocking rnem ber 64. The rocking member 64 has at its front end a pair of ears pivoted at "I2 to a link I4 the lower end of which is pivoted at I6 in ears formed on a curved support I3 secured to the frame. The rear end of the rocking member 64 has a pair of ears pivoted by the pin 62 to a link 80 pivoted at its lower end by a pin 82 to the curved support I6. Forward rocking movement of the member 64 is limited by engagement of a projection 84 on the link 60 with a stop screw 86 threaded into the curved support 18 and rearward rocking movement of the member 64 is limited by engagement of a stop screw 88 threaded th ough the link I4 with a surface 90 formed on the support I8.

The member 64 is rocked forwardly and upwardly on its parallel links 14, 80 to tension the upper A by longitudinal movement of a bar 92 the front end of which is directed downwardly and forwardly and is pivoted at 94 to a locking downwardly projecting ears on the rocking member 64 and has at its upper end a surface I00 (Fig. 4) substantially parallel with the lower edge of the slide 66. In the surface I00 is inserted a semi-cylindrical member I02 loosely held, so that it can rock slightly, by :a pin I64 passing loosely through the cylindrical member and engaging loosely a hole in the lever 96. The angle between a line drawn from the center of the semi-cylindrical member I02 to the center of the pivot 98 and a line drawn from that center perpendicular to the edge of the slide 66 is rather critical and should be in the neighborhood of to insure proper locking of the slide and its release by manipulation of the lever 96. The bar 92 at its rear-end is pivoted at H0 to a rocker I I2 pivoted at -I I4 to ears secured to the machine frame. A stiff tension spring I I6 is secured at its rear end to an ear on the rocker H2 and at its front end to a bar IIB which is held from longitudinal movement by a set screw I20 and is provided at its front end with a handle I22. By loosening the set screw I20 and pulling forward on the handle I22 the spring II 6 may be placed under 1 any desired degree of tension and held by tighteningthe set screw I20. The spring II6 tends, of course, to turn the rocker H2 in a clockwise direction and is further tensioned by counterclockwise movement of the rocker II2 which is effected when the presser lever I6 is raised by thefollowing mechanism. A rod I24 has an ear at its upper end engaging a pin 24 and has its lower portion threaded into a link member I26 pivoted at I28 to a lever I30 fulcrumed on the pin II4. Below the fulcrum II4 an arm of the lever :frame impelled clockwise by a spring I39 and having a ledge I adapted to engage a ledge I42 formed on a plate held by a screw I44 to the upper end of the rocker I I 2.

When the lever I6 is moved downwardly to perform a pressing operation, the spring H6 is held by the latch I36 from reacting until the roll I34 engages a screw I46 threaded through the latch I36. This happens after suilicient pressure has been applied to the work to hold it in place lever- 96,- The lever 96 is pivoted at 98 between 'on the inner form I2 and results in forward movement of the bar 92 under the influence of the spring N6, the first effect of which is to swing the lever 96 to lock it to the slide 66 and then to move the slide and the rocking member 64 forwardly, carrying with it, of course, the sliding member 40 and the upper engaging and supporting members 30, 44, 46 and 48. The rocking member 64 under the influence of the spring II6 tends to move forwardly of the machine and rearwardly of the upper on its parallel links "I4, 80. The motion of the rocking member 40 also has an upward component since the end portions thereof move in arcs about the fulcrurns I6 and 82 of the links I4 and respectively.

While, of course, no great forward and upward movement of the member 30 and of the rocking member 64 is possible because of resistance of the upper, the upper will nevertheless be placed under strong tension due to the action of the spring H6 and will have any wrinkles removed therefrom prior to complete application of pressure. Even if there is no upper in the machine forward movement of the rocking member 64 is limited by engagement of the projection 84 with the screw 86 and this movement is insufficient to cause the ledge I42 on the rocker I I2 to move off the flat face I50 which it engages when the latch I36 is released. Hence, when the lever I6 is moved upwardly at the completion of the pressing operation and the rocker H2 thereby moved in a counterclockwise direction, the latch I36 will again engage the ledge I42 and hold the spring II6 under tension. The same movement, of course, operates the locking lever 96 to release the slide 66, thus freeing it for movement with the sliding member 40 which is moved forwardly against the stop screw 56 by the action of the spring 60.

In placing an upper A in the machine, the operator will first engage its rear end with the member 36, the upper being supported on the projections 44, 46 and 48 and will move the upper rearwardly of the machine to position it properly between the pressing members I2 and I4. In the case of a small upper the slides 66 and 68 will, of course, be moved farther rearwardly and hence, due to their upward and rearward inclination, will locate the member 30 and sup ports 44, 46 and 48 higher with respect to the pressing members, and, when a large upper is being treated, the slides will not be moved so-far and hence the upper supports will be located lower down. Hence the supports will be automatically located heightwise of the upper in accordance with its size. After placing the upper between the presser members I2 and I4 the operator pushes the sliding member 40 rearwardly against the tension of the light spring 60 until the upper is in proper relation to the pressing members and then operates the machine, causing the rod 20 to be pulled down and the lever I6 operated to bring the presser I4 into contact with the upper and hold it upon the form I2. At the proper time in the pressing operation the roll I32 will engage the screw I46 and release the latch I36, thus subjecting the upper suddenly to the action of the heavy spring I I6 which jerks the member 30 rearwardly and upwardly. The member 30, being already in engagement with the upper, subjects the upper to a sudden stretching action which tends efiectively to remove wrinkles from those parts of the lining or upper which are being pressed between the members l2 and I4. The upward movement of the member 36 insures that any wrinkles present in the lower margin of the upper will also be effectively removed. The positions assumed by the parts when in pressing position are indicated in Fig. 2 where the initial position of the member 36 is indicated in dash lines and the final position, after it is subjected to the action of the spring H6, is shown in dotted lines. Of course, the amount of actual movement of the member 3!] depends entirely upon the amount the upper can be extended by the action of the spring IIB.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of pressing means for engaging the forepart of an upper to apply pressure thereto progressively, means engaging the rear part of the upper, and means for imparting to said rear-part-engagin-g means a strong rearward sudden blow during an initial stage in the application of pressure to the forepart.

2. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of pressing means engaging the forepart of. an upper, means engaging the rear part of the upper, and means for imparting to said rear-part-engaging means a strong rearward sudden blow after the pressing means has engaged the upper and before full pressure has been applied thereto.

3. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of pressing means engaging the forepart of an upper, means engaging the rear part of the upper, and means for imparting to said rear-part-engaging means a strong rear-.

ward and upward impulse during the application of pressure to the forepart.

4. In a machine for preforming shoeuppers, the combination of pressing means engaging the forepart of an upper, means engaging the rear part of the upper, and means comprising a cocked spring for imparting to the rear-part-engaging means, when the spring is released during the application of pressure to the forepart, a sudden rearward and upward impulse.

5. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of pressing means engaging the forepart of the upper, means engaging the rear part of the upper, means comprising a cooked spring for imparting a sudden rearward impulse to said rear-part engaging means, and means for suddenly releasing the spring during the application of pressure to the upper.

6. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of an inner form and a cooperating presser for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper, a support for the rear part of the upper, said support being mounted for movement in an inclined direction forwardly of the upper and toward the top of the form whereby uppers of difierent sizes will be supported in proper relation to the form, and a light spring normally holding the support in a position remote from the form.

In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of an inner form and a cooperating presser for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper, means for supporting the rear end of the upper by engagement with its lower edge, means engaging the rear part of the upper on the inside, a carrier for said supporting and engaging means, a spring tending to hold the carrier in a position remote from the form, and means for causing heightwise movement of the carrier to compensate for smaller uppers when the carrier is moved toward the form against said spring.

8. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of an inner form and a presser for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper, a member engaging the rear end of the shoe upper, means for pressing the member rearwardly of the upper to eliminate slack in the upper, and means acting after sufficient pressure has been applied to the form to hold the upper in place to impart to the heel-end-engaging member a sudden powerful impulse to remove wrinkles from the upper before full pressure has been applied to the form.

9. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of an inner form, a cooperating presser for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper, means for engaging the rear end of the upper at its lower edge and on the inside of the upper, a carrier for said engaging means, a spring tending to hold the carrier in a position remote from the form, and means for causing heightwise movement of the carrier to compensate'for smaller uppers when the carrier is moved toward the form against said spring to locate the forepart of the upper between the form and presser.

10. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of pressure-applying means for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper, a member for engaging the rear end of the upper, means for pressing the member rearwardly of the up-. per to eliminate slack in the upper while the upper is being positioned in the pressure-applying means, and means acting, after sufficient pressure has been applied to the upper to hold the upper in place, to impart to the heel-end-engaging member a predetermined impulse rearwardly and upwardly of the upper to remove wrinkles from the upper before full pressure is applied thereto.

11. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of an inner form and a cooperating presser movable relatively to the form for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper, means for supporting the rear end of the upper, means for engaging the inside of the upper adjacent to the back seam, a carrier for said support and engaging means, a spring tending to hold the carrier in a position remote from the form, means for causing heightwise movement of the carrier to compensate for smaller uppers when the carrier is moved toward the form against said spring,

and means acting automatically during operation of the presser toforce the back-seam-engaging means lengthwise of the upper to remove wrinkles from the part of the upper being shaped.

12. In a machine for preforming shoe .uppers,

the combination of a form, a presser for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper over the form, a member engaging the rear part of the shoe upper, means for pressing the member rearwardly of the upper to eliminate slack in the upper while it is being positioned between the form and presser, and means acting after sufiicient pressure has been applied to the form to hold the upper in place to impart to the rear-end-engaging memher a sudden impulse lengthwise of the upper to remove wrinkles from the upper before the press ing operation is completed.

13. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of a form, a presser movable toward and from the form for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper over the form, a member engaging the rear part of the upper, a spring arranged to be tensioned by movement of the presser away from the form, a latch for holding the spring under tension, and means acting after sufiicient pressure has been applied to the form to hold the upper in place to release said latch and subject the means engaging the rear part of the upper to the reaction of said spring to impart thereto a sudden impulse lengthwise of the upper and thus remove Wrinkles from the upper before the pressing operation is completed.

14. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of an inner form and a cooperating presser movable relatively to the form to shape the forepart of a shoe upper, means for engaging the inside of the upper adjacent to the back seam, a carrier for said back-seam-engaging means, a spring tending to hold the carrier in a position remote from the form, a heavy spring, means operated by movement of the presser away from the form to place the heavy spring under tension, a latch for holding the heavy spring under tension, means operated by movement of the presser toward the form for releasing the latch, and means for connecting the heavy spring to said carrier thereby subjecting the back-seam-engaging means to the action of the heavy spring in a direction to tension the upper.

15. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the. combination of an inner form and a coopcrating presser movable relatively to the form to shape the forepart of a shoe upper, means for engaging the inside of the upper adjacent to the back seam, a carrier for said back-seam-engaging means, a spring tending to hold the carrier in a position remote from the form, a rocking member relatively to which the carrier is initially movable, a heavy spring, means operated by movement of the presser away from the form to place the heavy spring under tension, a latch for holding the heavy spring under tension, means operated by movement of the presser toward the form for releasing the latch, and means for connecting the heavy spring to the rocking member and to said carrier thereby subjecting the back-seam-engaging means to the action of the heavy spring in a direction to tension the upper.

16. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of a form, a presser for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper over the form, a member engaging the inside of the upper and movable toward and from the form while the upper is being positioned thereon to accommodate an upper of any size, and means for imparting to said member a predetermined impulse rearwardly of the upper irrespectively of the position of said member.

17. In a machine for preforming shoe uppers, the combination of a form, a presser for shaping the forepart of a shoe upper over the form, a member engaging the inside of the upper, a slide carrying said member and movable longitudinally of the upper, a rocking member carrying said slide, a lever pivoted to the rocking member and arranged to engage said slide to lock the slide and rocking member together, a spring acting on said locking lever to lock the rocking member to the slide and impel it rearwardly of the upper, and means acting during application of pressure to the upper to release said spring.

18. That improvement in methods of treating closed uppers prior to assembly on a last which comprises pressing the forepart of the upper, and, during the application of pressure to the forepart, imparting to the upper a sudden impulse lengthwise thereof of sufficient magnitude to' remove wrinkles from the forepart of the upper to which pressure is being applied.

19. That improvement in methods of treating closed uppers prior to assembly on a last which comprises pressing the forepart of the upper to impart thereto a transverse curvature similar to that of the last, and, during the pressing operation, jerking the rear part of the upper reaiwardly to remove wrinkles from the part of the upper being pressed before the full pressure is applied thereto.

20. That improvement in methods of treating closed uppers prior to assembly on a last, which comprises pressing the forepart of the upper and, during the pressing operation, imparting to the upper an impulse lengthwise and heightwise thereof to remove Wrinkles from the part of the upper being pressed.

. FRANCIS J. BETTER. 

